Yarra Ranges Planning Scheme changes

The long awaited decision on the Yarra Ranges C97 Amendment has been Government Gazetted today (16/5/13) and approved with changes.

The amendment affects all residential land across the shire. It puts land within the existing Residential 1 Zone of rural townships and foothills residential areas, into the Residential 3 Zone, and introduces Significant Landscape Overlays and Design and Development Overlays to the majority of residential areas across the municipality.

A major aspect of the Amendment is to establish planning controls, which direct new housing into identified ‘housing consolidation’ areas, with better access to services and facilities; and to limit residential developments in outer areas, referred to as ‘incremental’ and ‘least change’ areas.

The Amendment also seeks to better protect existing neighbourhood character across Yarra Ranges by modifying the current planning controls relating to subdivision, vegetation protection, building height, front fences and site coverage.

It will have major implications on the development of land in areas such as Mt Evelyn.